newborn who won't sleep in moses basket

My gorgeous LO was born 5 days ago but will not sleep on anything other than a humanbeing! She refuses to settle iopn her moses basket no matter what we try and sleep deprivation is now a huge issue as I had 4 nights in hospital with about 3 hrs sleep in total before she eas born, I feel exhasuted. Any tips on getting her to settle? DH and I take turns with her on our chest at night staying awake as I am terrified of her being squashed if we fell asleep. And is it bad for her to sleep on heer tummy on my chest? I am careful she doesn't get too hot. Help!

Hey net.....same problem here! My DD is 4 weeks now. When we got home from hospital she would not sleep in Moses basket at all. I started to get her to sleep in it during the day. I was more awake then and could rock her till she eventually went off to sleep. She now sometimes will sleep for couple hours during night after her feed but to be honest she still doesn't like it. She sometimes refuses. I too am so so tired! Z

Hi
Oh I feel for you and hope you get some sleep soon
I too had that problem, my lo would only sleep on ourselves or in the carrycot of his pram and I think the reason was the moses basket was too wide and he felt safer in his pram. I don't know if this is a option or not but could you try roll up some baby blankets and put them down the side of her away from his face and at her feet.
I don't think your lo will get too hot cause when women are bfing the baby is asleep on them, just make sure she hasn't lots of clothes on her if she's gonna be sleeping on you or your DH. If your worried about her temp put your hand down her back or onto her chest and you'll feel if she's too hot.
Best of luck xxx

I feel for you both too, my lo is now 4 months and he was exactly the same. I did the above a Jodiedoo suggested and it helps and also a swaddle pod helped too and he eventually went for a few more hours. I found that the warmer my lo is the better he sleeps (obviously not too hot though) •its hard to get the balance I worried so much about the overheating until I realised that my lo was probably not warm enough. He now sleeps lots of hours in a cot- they do get used to it but its so hard at the start. Although he would still happily sleep on me or dh given the chance x I do hope you have some rest. Have you any family you could call upon to help in the day so you can both get a little rest. Xx

Your LO is still young and adjusting to being in the big wide world after being tucked up in your cosy womb. It will get better. Like some of the others have suggested, try swaddling. I found that a thin wool blanket worked better than any proper swaddle blanket, but use what works best. My DD always liked having her arms out, so never fully swaddled. Play about with it to see what she likes. I don't think there is anything wrong with letting them sleep on you at this stage, my daughter always fell asleep on the breast and is a fantastic sleeper. Keep persevering with transferring her to the basket once she is asleep too and make sure the temperature is right in the room. Good luck! Xx

Thanks so much everyone. She went in her basket for 40 mins from 5am this morning, dsome progress I guess? I'll definitely try out some of the ideas here, thank you. We have tried swaddling and she definitely likes her hands free. I think the tiredness in the night makes it all feel so awful, I have more perspective in the day. Just worried how I'll cope when DH goes back to work!! Wull work on sewttling her in her basket in the day so we can sleep when shew does and hopefully can also do so at night. She's a good feeder and can go 2 hours betwewen feeds, sometimes a bit more so there's potential - I can cope with broken sleep, I can't cope with none! Thanks again everyone xxx

I also had the same problem but then 1 day I spent it putting my little dd in her basket every time she slept even though the temptation was to let her sleep on me I kept putting her down and it did help for sure. I also swaddled which helped but they do get used to it, it doesn't feel like that in the middle of the night when you can hardly keep your eyes open but it will get better. And don't worry if she sleeps on your chest I think that happened to us all and I remember the doctor telling me once to do whatever you can to get some sleep. It's still early days for you but your doing great well done x

Net.....hopefully it will improve for both of us I agree with what you are saying. It all seems worse and harder to deal with in the middle of the night when you are tired. I too feel like I can cope if I get a little broken sleep rather than none at all. Zzz
Il keep a look out for you in middle of night on here and we can maybe support each other

Kittenlove - definitelym will look out for you. It's so hard, support is essential. Flossy, thank you, we are going to do that today. I put her down in her basket earlier she's been in for 15 mins so far.....

My two were like this, I bought an Amby Natures Nest for dd1 which was a godsend, she had been sleeping on me for nearly two months and it was getting a bit crazy, I had tried swaddling, raising the head end of the Moses basket, hot water bottle before they went in, towels making it cosy, putting her on her side etc. she loved the hammock and so does dd2. Dd1 had reflux and dd2 colic so neither like lying flat on their backs, pickles! I don't think there is anything wrong at all with them sleeping on you personally, though it does get tiring for you.

I know it doesn't feel like it at all atm but it will get easier as time goes on, enjoy those lovely cuddles too, as knackering as it was I miss DD sleeping on me, it's very very rare if she does it in the day now.

I had the same problem with dd, me and my dh took it in turns with dd sleeping on our chests for a few weeks. Dh would do 10-1 & i'd do the rest of the night as he had work. In the end I had to roll up two cellular blankets and wedge one either side of the moses basket. I put them towards the bottom end of the basket so lo couldnt put her face into the blankets. Its so hard in the early days but it does get easier I promise Why dont you pop into the new parent chat thread if you havent already, there might be a few new mummy's in there with newborns xxx

I had the same problem and after a recommendation, bought the Sleepyhead cushion from
John Lewis. It changed our lives! My son is now just about 6 months old and I have only just taken the edging out of the cushion to put around him as he still loves being cosy with a cocoon around his head. Take a look online, and even if you don't buy it, try rolling up blankets in the same way, it just makes them feel enclosed and secure

Wow the sleepyhead reviews are amazing...we had the same issues with our son not settling in moses basket so will def be getting one of those, cant believe it gets 5 stars ftom EVERYONE ....it must be worth the money x

Lisa Lou
ME: 30, PCOS
DH: 32, Low Count

1st ICSI: BFP miscarriage @ 9 weeks
2 natural BFP both lost @ 8 weeks

March 11 FET: Beautiful BFP!! Baby Jayden arrived safe and sound on 29/12/2011, he is perfect!!
December 2012 shock natural BFP!! Baby Shay arrived quickly on 28/07/2013, he is gorgeous!!

Thanks all. She's sleeping muxh better in the day now. My midwife has put me on strict daytime naps as BP still way too high so that's helping a bit with night time deprivation. I like the look of the sleepyhead, if we can't get her to settle at night soon I am going to get one. Thanks again xx

Ok so between about 6am and 10pm Lia will now sleep in hwr basket for up to two hours. From 10pm - 6am she won't. I think it's my milk supply fading as the day goes on. Any tips to boost it? All she wants to do at night is feed constantly. Kittenlove, how's Millie doing?
Xxx

Ok so between about 6am and 10pm Lia will now sleep in hwr basket for up to two hours. From 10pm - 6am she won't. I think it's my milk supply fading as the day goes on. Any tips to boost it? All she wants to do at night is feed constantly. ?
Xxx

Hi Net,

Please don't worry about your milk supply fading. It's not begun to get established yet so at this stage it's all a bit up in the air, and that's normal.

It's really important that you recognise how much the supply will vary throughout the day and it's vitally important that you trust your body's ability to nourish your baby.

Remember that at this 'very' early stage your baby is working incredibly hard to establish your milk supply, a skill she has been born with. By feeding very frequently she sends messages to your brain which fires off cues for your breasts to create a supply of milk. When you feel that there isn't much there, Lia will suckle and suckle, telling your body to produce more and more. This is an essential part of establishing breastfeeding and is not a sign of a problem. This can be very difficult to process on no sleep when you have a fretty baby seemingly suckling for nothing but keep it in mind, it's normal, expected and part of the process.

Also, remember that your breasts will feel full sometimes and empty other times, Lia will get thirst quenching foremilk sometimes and rich creamy hindmilk sometimes. There will be times when you feel full and times when you feel empty....... just keep doing what you're doing and it'll be fine.

So while Lia gets on with sorting her food supply out, all you have to do (!) is drink plenty of fluids, eat good food regularly, don't worry about doing much else other than looking after you and her and try not to worry. Follow her lead with feeding because it changes 'all' the time and as soon as you get used to one thing, she'll do something else!

Hey net..... I don't think it's your milk supply fading at night. I really think its a comfort thing. Millie is still the same. I had about 1 hour sleep last night if that! She also has a sore looking sticky eye now too